Frontline staff 'not being singled out'
Speaking on his way into a Cabinet meeting this morning, Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney insisted the Government was treating everyone fairly. "This is simply a question of the Government trying to make savings of an extra €1 billion from the existing Croke Park agreement," he said. "I can understand anger. Ireland has been through a very very difficult five or six years, people have seen wage reductions and a reduction in their take home pay."
In a document released last night, management in the health service said that in the provision of services that operated round-the-clock every day of the year, the current costs for delivering of Sunday and public holiday services was “unsustainable”.
“Management do recognise that Sunday is an important day and are satisfied that the proposal to reduce the current rate from double time to time and a half is fair and reasonable in the current economic circumstances.”
Figures produced by health service management said at present it could “range from between €417 and €604 to pay a nurse for a 12-hour night shift on Sunday (depending on the point on the pay scale).
“In our proposals the costs of this would reduce to between €324 and €470. This still represents a significant premium payment.”
Management said the total costs of a 24-hour Sunday cover for a nurse could range from between €793 and €1,149 at the moment.
“In our proposals this would reduce to between €603 and €873. This still represents a significant premium payment.”
Management also argued that under its proposals doctors would still receive a significant premium payments for working on a Sunday.
“It can range from between €458 and €646 to pay a senior house officer for a 12- hour rostered Sunday (depending on the point on the pay scale). In our proposals the costs of this would reduce to between €344 and €484.
“It can range from between €712 and €897 to pay a specialist registrar for a 12-hour rostered Sunday(depending on the point on the pay scale). In our proposals the costs of this would reduce to between €534 and €673. This still represents a significant premium payment.”
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